Shade: Vanquished
by Ludo Kudo
Summary: Student and Teacher team together to defeat the mastermind of the hired assassins!


Shade

Part 5: Vanquished

Continuing deeper into the mist, everything began to blur my vision and deaf my sound. If Haku assumed what Zabuza really is, then I must be aware. I heard the footsteps of someone running but nothing else, no clashes of blade, shouts of shock, or pounds of leaps, nothing but trampling footsteps. I gasped with fear; everything of mine was at a disadvantage, my surroundings made me in a very dangerous situation. Where was my master and better yet, where was my enemy?

"Jamie! Get down!" Master Soichiro shouted.

My master had forced me to the ground as the demon appeared from behind and slashed my master's side. He grunted with pain and continued piercing me to the floor, the enemy soon disappeared as if he was a just gasp of air.

"Stay down, this enemy is far out of your reach. Stay here and keep quiet, I will finish him off."

"But you're injured."

"Just stay down!"

"If the boy is here, that must mean he has taken Haku. Impressive, Soichiro, your student able to take down an assassin like me. Why don't you allow him to fight in this battle as well? You and I both know that you have the disadvantage here, perhaps he can lend you hand. It doesn't actually matter if he joins or not, it won't even make a difference."

With the voice of the mist speaking and disturbing our conversation, my master stood up and ran deeper into the haze. All was silence and not a single noise was heard; my master fighting with our opponent while I lay on the cold wet floor thinking of my decisions. Should I stand and support my master or lie down and wait for what happens? I didn't have time to think, I have to help. Although, it wouldn't be much help it could at least change the advantages a little.

Running after my master, I followed him but soon lost him in my sight and hearing. Resonance began to be heard, it seems my master has found the adversary. The spars of weapons and blows of energy ascertain from a distance in my left. Shortly after, chasing the reverberation two lone figures were seen ahead. My master was holding onto the enemy's guillotine blade while the enemy continued to force the blade towards his body. Surprisingly three outlines appeared from behind the two figures, for a second I had thought they were the outlines of my master's three students but they began drawing rapiers from their backsides. I dashed to the three and swiftly casted three senbons from myself to the clones. Each one rapidly evaporated into the liquids from where they had appeared. Not knowing when the enemy will pull another mischievous technique, I withdrew another needle and hurled it to the foe. Seeing that it coming, he released the blade and tried to evade it but my master had continued to hold on to the foil, not allowing him to escape unless setting frees the sword. With no choice but to unleash the weapon, he let go and vanished.

"Stay back, Jamie! He's coming back!"

"There is no dodging this one! Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu (Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu)"

"Look out!"

Approaching from the hidden smog, a thrashing echo of water rushed towards my master and me. We both began to run, although the rushing current was far too prompt and the mouth of the controlling serpent gulped us in and exploded in the distance. The rough splash of water had hit our every part and left we fossilize. We lay on the wet grass, shivering with pain and fear knowing we had lost. The enemy glided towards us, snickering with achievement, he stood over us and placed in sword readily to strike us both.

"Any last words for the young ones before you both go."

"Sichuro no Jutsu (Four Pillars Prison Jutsu)" Master Kengen casted swiftly sending up four wooden pillars to lock the assassin. "I have you now, prepare to die."

"You caught me, but who says it will over."

"I do, die Zabuza, Raikiri!" Jamie told unleashing bolts of energy from his palm. _Boom!_ "What?"

"Ugh, I told you to kill me, didn't I?"

To my imagination, the young assassin, Haku had took the place of Zabuza and stung with my technique. His arm still bleeding and his chest blasted with my palm, my hand had entered deeply into Haku's chest and occurred to be jammed. He stared at me, looking eye to eye, trying to tell me something but couldn't. He had been conducted too so much pain that his nerves would not move, he was solidify.

"Very good Haku, you saved me from the inch of death. Now to repay you with your sacrificed." Zabuza alleged forcing himself from the holding logs.

"Finish him now Jamie, hurry!"

"I can't, my hand is stuck!"

"Thank you Jamie for showing me your hidden skill, although you aren't the only one with that talent. Thank you!" Haku weakly gasped; gripping onto my hand not allowing it to become free.

"Sorry Haku, Raikiri!" Jamie apologized letting lose another bolt of electricity through Haku and through Zabuza. "Bakuhatsu!"

The enemy which was my friend had eventually saved his master in the end and both had passed together. The remaining pieces of them both scattered throughout the mist as it began to fade through. Far off in the distance the calling of my master was heard and the three scholars appeared from the forest, all looking exhausted. It seems I have doubted them for they all had defeated their opponent but did I. I allowed mine to live and in the end he saved a life. Would this attempt be known as good or bad? Who knows, perhaps I'll find out as I continue.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A familiar being said.

"Seru help us. That freak that we were hired to take back the village seemed more powerful than we thought. Come on help us up." Nappa begged.

"I'm sorry, I can't. You see, my leader gave me a direct mission to clean up the mess that should've been cleaned. I'm sorry you two but I will have to dispose of you both."

"What kind mission is that? You must be lying, we're one of the best, and he wouldn't dispose of us." Radditsu wondered

"Really, why don't you tell him when you see again?" The mysterious being told as a tail emerged from his backside and pierced Nappa and Radditsu absorbing their flesh and bone until nothing lay around the barren wasteland except for the remains of their armor.


End file.
